Please be on time. Asana room
opens 10 minutes before class. If class is in session please wait for
teacher before entering. No one will be admitted into class more than 10
minutes after class starts.

It is strongly recommended not
to eat 3-4 hrs before a strenuous class. A light fruit snack 1 1/2 –2 hrs
prior to a less rigorous class may feel ok.

We highly recommend that you
invest in your own personal yoga mat, both for hygienic purposes and your
own comfort. We have a selection of yoga mats for sale, and in case you did
not bring one, we also have mats to rent.

Please do not bring pagers or
cell phones in the asana room!

For the breathing comfort of
the class, please refrain from wearing strong perfumes and aromatic oils.

Enjoy your yoga practice with
patience and mindfulness. Please be sure to let the teacher know of any
injuries or other health conditions. Always remember to practice within your
ability and honor your body.

What
is Pilates?

Pilates is a system of movement and strengthening that
promotes full breath, healthy joint articulation and stability in the core
muscles of the body. Developed by the German-born Joseph Pilates in POW
camps during World War I, it has shown tremendous results bringing relief
from back pain and chronic discomfort.

Pilates dramatically transforms the way your body looks,
feels, and performs. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a
sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. It teaches body
awareness, good posture, and easy, graceful movement.

Professional dancers have known the benefits of Pilates
for decades. Top athletes use it for strength, flexibility, and injury
prevention. Developed from the rehabilitation techniques of Joseph, it is a
safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or equipment.

Health and Fitness Benefits of
Pilates

Creates a balanced and evenly conditioned body:
Pilates conditions the body as a whole, training several muscles at once. No
muscle group is over or under trained. Conventional workouts tend to make
the strong muscles stronger and the weak muscles weaker, creating a muscle
imbalance – the primary cause of injury.

Elongates and strengthens muscles while increasing flexibility:
Workouts are designed to create long toned muscles as well as a flat
abdomen. No "bulking up."

Develops strength of the "Core":
Core, meaning center of the body, consists of the muscles that surround and
protect the spine. Control of the deep abdominal and back musculature allows
for your limbs to move gracefully.

Challenges without increasing stress:
Most exercises are low impact and partially weight bearing. This reduces the
stress placed on the joints while allowing maximum muscle performance.

Improves body awareness:
Emphasis on proper breathing and correct body alignment while focusing on
purposeful movement patterns increase your awareness of how your body moves
and feels in space. Quality over quantity of movement prevails, giving you
maximum power and efficiency

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a 5,000
year-old tradition of
self-healing and
self-realization that
incorporates postures,
known as asanas, and
breathing that
enhances health
through physical
strength and mental
focus and clarity.

Health and Fitness
Benefits of Yoga:

Stress Relief: Yoga
reduces the physical
effects of stress on
the body by
encouraging relaxation
and lowering the
levels of the stress
hormone, cortisol.
Related benefits
include lowering blood
pressure and heart
rate, improving
digestion and boosting
the immune system, as
well as easing
symptoms of conditions
such as anxiety,
depression, fatigue,
asthma and insomnia.

Pain Relief: Yoga
can ease pain. Studies
have demonstrated that
practicing Yoga asanas,
meditation or a
combination of the
two, reduced pain for
people with conditions
such as cancer,
multiple sclerosis,
auto-immune diseases
and hypertension as
well as arthritis,
back and neck pain and
other chronic
conditions.

Increased Strength &
Flexibility: Yoga
helps to improve
flexibility and
mobility, increasing
range of movement and
reducing aches and
pains. Yoga asanas use
every muscle in the
body, helping to
increase strength
literally from head to
toe. Yoga also helps
to relieve muscular
tension.

Weight Management:
Yoga can aid weight
control efforts by
reducing the cortisol
levels, as well as by
burning excess
calories and reducing
stress. Yoga also
encourages healthy
eating habits and
provides a heightened
sense of well being
and self-esteem.

Improved Circulation
and Cardiovascular
Conditioning: Yoga
helps to improve
circulation and, as a
result of various
poses, more
efficiently moves
oxygenated blood to
the body’s cells. Even
gentle yoga practice
can provide
cardiovascular
benefits by lowering
resting heart rate,
increasing endurance
and improving oxygen
uptake during
exercise.